Ladies handbag



I United States Patent 1 3,550,663

1 1 Inventor Laura D. Johnston 1.815.106 7/1931 .Iostes 150/1.7X171911111 Ave.,0wensboro, Ky.42301 2.152.745 4/1939 Klass 150/1 [21 1Appl. No. 767.368 2,565,076 8/1951 Haubrick... ISO/28X [22] Filed Oct.14, 1968 3,121,452 2/1964 Hyman 150/28 [45] Patented Dec. 29, 1970FOREIGN PATENTS 698,167 10/1953 Great Britain ISO/1.7 1 LADIES HANDBAGPrimary Examiner- Donald F. Norton 3 Clalllls' 1 Drawing g-AnorneyLaurence R. Brown [52] U.S.Cl. 150/28, 150/1.150/1.7,150/33 [51]lnt.Cl. A45c 3/08 ABSTRACT: A ladies handbag is made of {WO different[50] Field of Search ISO/28.1, f b i in the f f a rectangular bottompanel with plain L7, 50 side panels to which flat fabric strips are sewnto form handles. A single seam extends up the center of each end of thebody, [56} Rerem'mcied and a design may be sewn onto one plain sidepanel. 1f UNITED STATES PATENTS reversed by turning inside out the bagdisplays a different 1.148.948 8/1915 Benjamin 150/50 fabric design.

PATENTEflniczsms $550,663

INVENTOR LAURA D. JOHNSTON I BY ATTORNEY LADIES HANDBAG This inventionrelates to ladies handbags and more particularly to handbags constructedsolely from fabric materials.

In ladies wear it is desirable to provide styling of accessories such asshoes and handbags to match or mix withother accessories and garments.It is difficult to accomplish appropriate styling and color combinationswith the usual handbag made of leather or simulated leather and metallicmembers, and the cost of maintaining an inventory of such bags maybecome prohibitive.

Also when metal clasps and closures are provided not only is the costsignificant in both materials and construction but such parts generallybreak down first resulting in less wear. One particular weakness ofhandbags is the handle structure which is subject to wear andmisshaping, and many times is uncomfortable to hold.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a ladies handbagconstruction adaptable to differentstyle and color combinations.

Another object of the invention is to provide ladies handbags of simpleinexpensive construction without metallic members.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved handles on aladies handbag which are comfortable and wear well.

Thus, there is provided by this invention a ladies handbag constructedsolely of two different fabric materials of diverse characteristic andpresenting plain rectangular side panels which may incorporate amonogrammed design and a generally flat rectangular bottom panel. Thehandles constitute stiffened flat fabric strips sewn to the top ofthe-side panels to provide an uppermost section of the flat stripgenerally parallel with the flat bottom panel.

The foregoing features and objectives together with further aspects ofthe invention are described in the following text with reference to theaccompanying drawing which shows in perspective view, partly brokenaway, the construction features of the invention.

The body section of the handbag has a generally rectangular interior ofsuitable height as defined from the substantially flat rectangularbottom panel 11 with elongated sides 12 and narrow ends 14. This panelmay be of a separate piece sewn at the seam 15 about the bottom edge ofthe bag and having a generally triangular end portion 16 folded thereinand bent up to extend along the end panels 17 of the bag. Thistriangular portion 16 is affixed at the apex 18 to the panels 17 of thebag along a single seam 19 extending along the entire height of the endpanel 17 and behind triangular portion 16 to join front panel section 20to a corresponding rear panel section.

This construction produces from one rectangular bottom panel 11 and tworectangular side panel (20) fabric pieces a bag with plain flatrectangular front and back panel sections 20, 21, upon which amonogrammed diagram 22 may be displayed by embroidering or otherwisemarking the panel.

The bag has an outer fabric section 23 and an inner fabric section 24 ofdifferent materials. The inner fabric 24 may be for example a burlaptype material or an upholstery fabric while the outer fabric 23 may be adrapery fabric or the like. A wide range of contrasting or complementaryfabrics, designs and colors may thus be chosen to provide stylingadapting the bag as a matched accessory to many different costumes. Thefabric materials may be chosen to match or complement other accessoriesor the apparel being worn, since one or both fabrics may be commonlyused in the apparel. If the bag is reversed by turning it inside out,the style may be changed radically.

The materials are stitched together at a hemmed top section along seam30 by folding both the inner and outer fabrics over to form a doublefolded-overridge to produce a stiffened and hard wearing edge 31 aboutthe open top 32 to the bag. Stitched to the interior of the bag orpreferably between the two fabrics at sfaced sitions along the top ofthe lain side panels 20 and 1 are e ends 33, 3 of the handles 5 whichcomprise stiffened flat fabric strips of double thickness sewn togetherat the edge in a manner similar to the top seam 31 of the bag. Thehandles are disposed to extend from their ends 33, 34 in a planesubstantially common with that of the side panels 20, 21 and are curvedto present an uppermost portion 36 of the flat strip laterally extendingacross the top of the bag and generally parallel thereto in a planesubstantially parallel with the bottom panel 11. Thus the entire bagincluding the handles is of fabric construction and is easily andcomfortably carried to hold a variety of objects and conform wherenecessary to odd sizes and shapes such as baby's bottles or newspapers.Furthermore the fabric handle wears well and is strong and supple sothat it does not shorten the life of the bag.

The novel features of this handbag believed representative of the spiritand nature of the invention are set forth with particularity in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A ladies handbag comprising in combination, an open topped bodysection of heavy fabric inner and outer materials with narrow enddimensions and elongated side dimensions with a texture stiff enough tobe self-supporting, substantially flat rectangular bottom panel and acorresponding inner volume defined by the bottom panel of substantiallysaid rectangular dimension and two narrow rectangular end panels havinga suitable height approximating less then 12 inches, and body sectionhaving a single seam down each narrow end thereof to display a plainrectangular front and back panel section, and a liner of said innerheavy fabric materials having a different style from the outer fabricmaterial and affixed to the inside of said body-and stitched thereto bya hem about the open top of said body section to form a ridge at thewearing edge said rectangular bottom panel being a separate panel sewnto said panel sections and comprising a generally triangular end portionextending from each narrow end affixed at its apex on the exterior ofand along the side of said body section to coincide with said singleseam.

2. A bag as defined in claim 1 constructed to permit the bag to beturned inside out for a reversible bag displaying two dif ferent fabricmaterials.

3. A bag as defined in claim 1 including a monogrammed design sewn ontothe fabric of one of said plain rectangular panel sections.

